British Prime Minister Tony Blair's warning that most of the stories written about the demise of the relationship would be "complete nonsense" did nothing to moderate press fascination with the prince's split form his long-time girlfriend.

 Various newspapers reported that multiple social faux pas committed by Middleton's mother, Carole, did nothing to endear her to the future king's friends and family.

 Carole and her husband Michael are self-made millionaires having built up a children's party paraphernalia business, and the reports suggested William's inner circle did not believe her to be sufficiently upper class.

 The Daily Telegraph reported that Carole Middleton's use of the word "toilet" rather than "lavatory", and the phrase "pleased to meet you" rather than "how do you do?" rubbed William's associates the wrong way.

 According to the paper, they would derisively whisper "doors to manual" when Kate Middleton, 25, arrived, a veiled jibe at her mother being a former flight attendant.

 The news that Middleton and the second-in-line to the British throne had split after four years broke on Saturday, and surprised many royal watchers who had assumed the couple would marry.

Several newspapers insisted that, contrary to previous reports, the fate of their relationship was not decided at a gathering of "The Firm" -- the nickname for the senior royals.

An unidentified royal insider told the Daily Mirror tabloid that "anyone who knows William knows he's a strong-minded character who's quite capable of making up his own mind."

According to one report, William, 24, told his father Prince Charles that Middleton wanted more from their relationship but he did not want to commit.

Things reportedly came to a head three weeks ago after pictures appeared of a drunken William partying with army colleagues and several women in a nightclub.

According to The Sun, Middleton and William decided to split last month while at an exclusive resort in Zermatt, Switzerland.

"No one knows exactly what was said between them, but William and Kate talked for hours about their future," an unnamed source close to the couple told the tabloid.

"It is fair to say each of them wanted different things ... William feels too young and doesn't want to give up the freedom that life in the Army allows."

On Saturday, Prime Minister Blair made a vain attempt to draw a line under the whole affair.

"I think, in respect of Prince William, they are a young couple. We have had the announcement, fine," Blair told BBC television -- though Clarence House, the royal residence which handles the prince's affairs, has refused to confirm or deny the break-up.

"I think, now it has been announced, they should be allowed to get on with their lives."

British bookmakers were taking bets over the weekend on who William will marry, with Britney Spears and Kylie Minogue among the front runners.

The prince met Middleton in 2001 at St. Andrew's University in Scotland where they shared a flat with two other students.

They were first seen in public together on the ski slopes at the chic Swiss resort of Klosters in April 2004.

When Kate celebrated her 25th birthday in January she was harassed by paparazzi who saw her as a new Princess Diana, the prince's glamorous mother who died 10 years ago in a Paris car crash while she was being pursued by reporters.

So convinced were royal watchers that William and Middleton would wed, that British retailer Woolworths had 25,000 commemorative mugs, 15,000 tea towels, and 12,000 plates bearing pictures of the couple ready to go on sale within 48 hours of an engagement announcement.

Agence France Presse